Beth Anne’s Bible

I remember the first time I saw Beth Anne's Bible. I didn't expect it to encourage and challenge me the way it did.

Beth Anne is a member of our church. She's quiet, unassuming, and godly. She always has a smile and encourages people just by her presence. She's lived a life of godly faithfulness, and her example means a lot to our church.

One day, I saw Beth Anne as I was getting ready for our worship service. She was holding her Bible in her hand. The binding was broken, and the pages looked worn. It showed signs of heavy use over many years. I've seen worn Bibles before, but never one like this.

Having just had one of my Bibles rebound, I asked her if she would consider getting it rebound. I could see the horror on her face. “How long would that take?” she asked. When I told her it would probably take up to a couple of months, she looked horrified. “How could I go without my Bible for that long?”she replied.

Of course, there are other Bibles, but that's not the point. This is Beth Anne's Bible. It contains God's word, but it contains more: her notes, and I'm guessing some stains from her tears. She can pick it up and quickly turn to many of its pages, having learned the layout of that edition. It’s like a scrapbook of her walk with God. This isn't just a Bible that can be replaced with another Bible or an app. It’s a Bible that has become part of her life, and she can't imagine being without it.

Every time I see her Bible, I'm encouraged.

Of course, we don’t have to follow her example. There’s no Scripture commanding us to get one copy of the Bible and mark it up and wear it down. But there are plenty of Scriptures about treasuring God’s word, and that’s what I see every time I look at Beth Anne and her Bible.

On my shelf is an old Bible that I used in my young years as a Christian. I lived in that Bible. I got to know it so well that it almost became part of me. I replaced it, but I recall my time with that Bible as especially sweet. I’m working at getting to know the Bible I’m using today as well as I got to know that one.

I love the idea of breaking in my copy of the Bible so it almost becomes an extension of who I am. But even more importantly, I want to be the kind of person who wears out Bibles. There's something powerful about someone who has spent that much time in the Bible, who clings to Scripture that tightly, so that his or her life is shaped by God's word.

Beth Anne embodies a Psalm 1 kind of love for and delight in God's law. Every time I see her Bible, I'm reminded that I want that too. Beth Anne's Bible has been a surprising encouragement. It challenges me to love God's word as much as she does—and maybe wear out a Bible or two in the process.